Social Dancer Codes

For Trine and me, there is no such thing as a "right" or "wrong" way to dance tango. That said, some ways of dancing are simply more suited to the milonga setting than others.

These ways are known as the codes of social dancing, and they've been part of tango, in one form or another, for many years. At their core, they reflect a shared wish for the milonga to be a space of mutual respect and care.

Social Dancer Codes at encuentros

• Dance in close embrace

• Always invite with cabaceo/mirada.

• Always look for eye contact and accept before entering the dance floor.

• Keep your feet on the floor.

• Adjust your dance to suit the number of people on the floor.

• Keep your place in the line with respect for the other couples.

• As a leader, follow your dance partner back to their place when the tanda is over.

• Invite people you don't know.

At Sydfyn Embrace, we expect you to be familiar with the common codes of social dancing — and to apply them consistently throughout the entire event.

Others
Milongas at encuentros typically last between 4 and 5 hours. If there are two milongas in one day, there is usually a 2–3 hour break in between to avoid exhausting the dancers. DJs at encuentros play from the heart right from the start, based on the expectation that participants are skilled and experienced dancers. For this reason — and out of respect for the encuentro and fellow dancers — it is considered good etiquette to attend the milongas from beginning to end.